A shout out to all my lovelies! Warrior Zoe, Burning Touch, Cemikey111, Tammy (thanks, that was my favorite part) RogueFreak, inTHEgrid, Chica, Professor Horatio Hufnagel (your name sounds extremely familiar but I just can't place it, but everyone read the dear professor's story, it's so fabulous).
Marvel's, not mine.
Chapter 9
Rogue absolutely loved Amina and Salah. They were incredibly jovial people with infectious laughter and she loved being around them. Before they had left their room, Remy had told her that Salah was not his real name; it was a nickname that he and Philippe had given him because the man bore such a resemblance to John Rhys Davis' character in the Indiana Jones movies. The cheerful head of the Moroccan Thieves Guild had never seen the movies but good-naturedly accepted the nickname and Rogue had to bite the inside of her cheek when she met the man to keep from shouting out: "Indy! Indy!" Remy caught her eye as he was leaving the apartment and winked, knowing full well what she was thinking. She had to avert her eyes to keep from laughing. She did do quite a bit of laughing that day, just listening to Mina and Salah play off of each other; Rogue told Remy later that it was like watching a scene from a Marx Brothers movie.
Mina acted as her tour guide and Salah seemed only too happy to follow along. They went to the various street fairs, markets and stores; all the while chatting like old friends. Rogue asking all about Rabat and Mina asking about America and New Orleans. When Rogue told Mina that Remy would be taking her out, Mina insisted that Rogue buy a new dress for the occasion and dragged her toward a small dress shop. The saleswomen spent an hour with them, knowing full well who the girls were and especially knowing who Salah was. It was just after three in the afternoon when the owner of the shop produced a dress that Rogue fell in love with and simply had to have. Emerald green silk that cascaded and rippled like a waterfall as it hugged the curves of her upper body and flared out at the waist, falling just above the knee. It was beautifully beaded and embroidered and the long, flowing sleeves nearly went past her fingertips. It was a bit low cut but Rogue knew that Remy probably wouldn't mind. One of the saleswomen however showed her a lovely green scarf made of soft muslin that wrapped around the shoulders and complimented the dress.
Mina found a pair of cream colored silk gloves for her so she would not feel so anxious about going around other people. When they had purchased everything along with the appropriate shoes, they headed back to Remy and Rogue's apartment by way of a few other shops. After buying some fruit from a street vendor, Rogue and Mina walked ahead under Salah's watchful eyes and discussed Mina's upcoming marriage.
"So, you're alright with this arranged marriage thing?" Rogue asked her.
"Of course," Mina answered. "I was a bit apprehensive at first, before I met Philippe but I'm perfectly fine with it now. He is such a kind and wonderful man."
"Y' in love with him," Rogue said when she saw the sparkle in Mina's dark eyes and a slight smile on her lips. "Ah guess that makes it better."
"Was not your marriage to Remy arranged as well?" Mina tugged on a lock of her long dark hair.
"Well, sort of," Rogue couldn't help but envy the girl's long silky hair and smooth coppery skin. "He was supposed ta marry mah step-sister, but well . . . things came up. But Remy and Ah fell in love, it made marriage easier."
"I remember Philippe saying something about that," Mina nodded. "He said that Remy was better off with you. He said you suited him better; as a wife and companion. Isn't that what a wife is supposed to be, a companion?"
"That's what Ah always thought," Rogue said, smiling as she thought of Remy. "Ah was so worried they would make Remy marry Belle, Ah don't know what Ah would've done if they had."
"She would not have been a companion?"
"That's fer sure. It was almost like she wanted ta possess him, like he was a prize an' not a person. Ah'm not sure if she was in love with him. Even before Ah met him, she seemed ta make him unhappy."
"What did she think of your marriage?"
"Ah'm sure she wasn't happy about it, to say th' least," Rogue smirked. "They didn't tell her until after Ah had left th' country. Ah heard she rampaged about for awhile an' then split, looking for her swine of a brother. They're out causin' someone misery, ya can count on that."
"I hope she stays gone," Mina said firmly, already in the defense of Rogue whom she had just met. "I don't wish to ever meet her."
"Are y' an' Philippe getting' married b'fore we head back to Naw'lins?"
"Yes," Mina nodded. "I am so excited; I can't wait to be married. Is it as much fun as it seems?"
"Well," Rogue grinned at her. "Remy an' Ah have a lotta fun sometimes. There were just a lotta issues we had to get over first. Livin' with another person like that is a huge adjustment ta make. Ah think we're doin' alright now, though."
"It sounds wonderful. But what about," Mina glanced back at her father who was a few yards behind them and whispered: "Sex?"
"What about it?" Rogue looked over at Mina with one eyebrow raised. "Have you an' Philippe . . .?"
"Once," Mina said in a whisper. "Last week; while my father was out for the evening."
"And?" Rogue prompted.
"And it was amazing," Mina said and both girls dissolved into giggles. "What about you and Remy?"
"Well," Rogue grinned at the memory. "It was on the morning of mah eighteenth birthday; Remy had come to see me th' night before an' we fell asleep. When Ah woke up, he was still there an' well, one thing lead to another."
Both girls started to giggle again and from a few yards behind them, Salah smiled, his heart warmed by the thought of his daughter having a friend when she went to New Orleans.
XXX
Their evening out was perfect; Remy had been rendered speechless for a moment when he saw her in her new dress and he stole glances at her all evening. They sat at a secluded table in a corner of a beautiful and exclusive restaurant. It was quite authentic and traditional as they had to sit on plump cushions before the low table and eat the delicious Moroccan food with their fingers. They talked and playfully flirted like they did when they had first met; he told her a little of what he and Philippe were doing although he couldn't tell her much and they told each other about they way they grew up. After a desert of orange slices sprinkled with cinnamon; which were complimentary because they delighted the proprietor, made him think of his wife and when he was a newlywed; they were washed their fingers in the orange blossom water and left hand in hand.
They decided to walk the short distance back to their apartment as the evening was warm and the sky was clear. It was as though every star in the sky knew they were out and rushed out in all their glory only to be witnessed by the young couple below them. After a few moments of walking, they stopped to admire the night sky and because they wanted to revel in the beautiful moment. Rogue laid her head on Remy's shoulder and sighed, contentedly as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Are y' happy, mon amour?" He kissed her temple.
"So happy, Remy," she whispered. "Ah feel like Ah could burst, Ah'm so happy."
"Je t'aime, ma chere," he whispered into her hair. "Je t'aime de plus en plus chaque jour." (I love you more each day)
"Ah love you too, Remy. De tout mon coeur; Ah'm whole because of you." (With all my heart)
"Mon amour," he kissed her, softly, slowly and leisurely until they had to pull apart from lack of oxygen and he caressed her cheek as he whispered breathlessly to her: "Ma vie." (My life)
"Remy?" A semi-familiar voice stopped him from kissing her again and Remy looked up to see a semi-familiar woman heading toward him. "Remy, it's me."
Nareen, Remy thought glumly, as he suddenly remembered the half-dressed woman who had stormed angrily out of his apartment when he had called her Anna by mistake. That was her name.
